Damian stood tall in his wolf form, Lexus, white fur streaked with blood, his golden eyes burning bright in the shadows of the forest. Around him, a circle of rogue wolves and bears snarled, advancing slowly.
He lunged first powerful, precise.
His claws slashed across the chest of a rogue wolf, sending it flying into a tree. Another rogue charged from the left but Lexus dodged, spun mid-air, and bit deep into its neck.
One by one, they fell. Growls, bones snapping, fur flying. But they just kept coming.
"You don't quit do you, come on!" Lexus roared
His breathing grew ragged, movements slower. Cuts opened on his flanks. Blood stained his fur. Still, he didn't stop. Couldn't. He had to get back to her.
A massive bear leapt at him, Lexus tackled it head-on, both crashing into a bush. The bear howled. Damian ripped its throat open and stumbled back, panting.
Then a sudden silence. He shifted back to human, sweat and blood dripping, his bare chest rising and falling with strain.
From behind, he sensed someone, but too late. A cloth was pressed tightly over his nose and mouth.
He thrashed, elbowed backward but a strong arm held him in place.
"Shhh," Fagus whispered behind him, smug. "Breathe it in, little prince. Sweet magic. Let her go, forget her, forget everything about her"
Damian struggled violently, eyes wide in panic. "No! Ally,"
But his knees buckled. His vision blurred, trees twisted, stars spun.
Just before darkness claimed him. A voice. Sharp. Cold. Betha.
"Good," she said, stepping out of the shadows, her emerald dress glinting in the moonlight. "Now I'll bring you back to Arvendale... and say I rescued you from evil humans who tried to dissect a werewolf. I'll be your savior, and you'll marry me. Now forget your little human lover"
Damian reached out weakly, eyes dimming. "Alison…"
His hand dropped.
Betha smiled as his body collapsed, unconscious.
"Take him," she ordered her spy. "And make sure the girl dies tonight. I don't want even her ashes left behind."
Fagus turned, startled. "What? The girl goes with us. Alive."
Betha looked at him sweetly. "Oh, did I forget to mention? I changed the plan."
Before he could react, her rogue beasts tore into him and his minions, attacking with brutal speed. Fagus screamed.
"You damned girl!" Fagus screamed
Betha approached calmly as he bled, crouching beside him. "If she lives, he might remember. If you live, you might tell. I don't take risks."
She stood again as her spy carried Damian's unconscious body to a waiting car. "Goodbye, Fagus."
Then she left, the moon high above her.
*******
Alison skidded to a halt outside the diner, threw her bike down and burst through the door of her home panting. Her face pale. She screamed
"Dad!"
She froze. Her father was pinned on the wall by a weird looking man. She grabbed the nearest vase and hurled it shattering on the attacker's head. It shattered against the attacker's back, distracting him enough to drop Mr. Fisher. The man turned toward her slowly, eyes glowing red, lips curling into a twisted smile.
Alison ran to her father, helping him up as he gasped for air. "What do you want from us? Who are you?!" she yelled, her voice cracking.
Behind her, more arrived.
The bear and three wolves from earlier crashed into the diner, snarling. But as Alison stared in horror, their forms shimmered and twisted turning into men. Creatures in human skin, but barely.
A tall man stepped forward from behind them. Cold eyes, pale skin, long grey coat.
"Hello Althea, it's been fifteen years," he said slowly. "Fifteen years of chasing shadows, and now I got you. Just like I took you fifteen years ago, now you're finally mine."
Mr. Fisher pulled Alison behind him, whispering, "Don't you dare get near my girl, I won't allow you! Run for help dear"
But before she could, Casper reached for her. Mr. Fisher stepped in front again.
"Touch her, and I swear….."
He didn't finish. With a flick of his hand, Casper sent Mr. Fisher flying across the diner. He hit the wall hard and crumpled.
"NO!" Alison screamed, lunging toward her dad, but the Casper's arms wrapped around her.
She kicked and screamed. "LET ME GO!"
*******
Kevin, running through the woods, reached the lake in hope of finding Alison there. But it was empty. Her scent was old. His nose twitched.
"She was here!" he sensed her now old scent but he sensed something else.
Rogues. Too many.
He shifted, his black wolf form snarling through the woods toward the diner. But just before he could arrive he was attacked by a group of rogues. Kevin had to fight them before he could continue his journey.
*******
Back in the chaos inside the diner, Casper wanted to take Alison out of the diner but Betha's rogues attacked him and his minions, shocking him. Alison crawled to her father's side.
"Dad, dad are you okay?" She asked tears flowing from her eyes
"I am fine dear,… just stay close to me"
"What are you doing?" Casper asked one of Betha's spy who watched as he was attacked.
"Our lady Betha doesn't keep witnesses, and the girl must die today. Keeping all of you alive puts a risk to her plans" The spy said
Betha's spy grabbed Casper by the throat. Alison, clutching her hurt father, watched in horror.
Snap.
Casper's body fell. His dream died with him.
Alison tried to process it, but it made no sense. "Why? Who are you people? What do you want?!"
"You are ruining my lady's plans and so you must die" The spy scolded as he signalled a rogue to finish her.
One of the rogue wolves lunged at Alison from behind.
"No! Ally" Mr. Fisher pulled himself upright.and was slashed across the neck.
Blood sprayed. Alison turned, just in time to catch him. Her father collapsed into her arms.
"Dad… no… no please no, stay with me. Please…" she sobbed. Holding where blood was coming out as him suffer in pain.
He tried to speak. A whisper. "I love you…" Then, his hand went limp in hers. His head dropped.
"No,...no,... DAD"
Alison's scream shattered the air. Everything, time, sound and the world stopped. The bracelet on her wrist pulsed. Something awakened inside of her, something was forcing it's way out of her body.
Her hair slowly lifted, strands turning from soft brown to silver.
Her eyes glowed, pure light burning from them.
She stood slowly, power flooding her limbs. She didn't feel pain anymore only rage.
A wave of silver energy burst from her in every direction. Furniture shattered. Windows cracked. Beasts staggered back, growling in confusion.
The entire diner shimmered in her silver light.
One of the rogues screamed, his skin burning where the light touched him.